For the love of God . . .

“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8

When a person sins, guilt attacks immediately, not God. True, the Holy Spirit points out our sin and the error of it, but He does not attack us, belittle us, or beat us down. Rather through our conscience, He encourages us to “confess our sin” by being honest with God, not by covering it up.

The longer sin is covered up, the attack of guilt becomes stronger. When we sin, our conscience and the devil condemn us, but NOT God. Why doesn’t God condemn us when we sin?

1 John 1:7-9 says, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

The Greek word “forgive” here is ä-fē’-ā-mē and means to send away, to let go, let alone, to disregard, to not discuss, to omit, to give up a thing, to abandon, to leave alone and not take with you as a companion. Looking at this definition, when we confess (declare openly to God) and ask Jesus to forgive us our sins, He literally leaves them alone and forgets them. He will not bring them up (in conversation) again. The problem is that OUR conscience, memory and the devil, who condemns us, dwell on the sin we have committed, it seems, for an extended period of time, thus making us feel that belittling big UGH!

That’s not all. The Blood of Jesus Christ “cleanses” us! The Greek word is kä-thä-rē’-zō, and means to make clean from the defilement of sin and from faults. The Blood of Jesus Christ, shed more than 2,000 years ago on the Cross of Calvary, frees us from the guilt of sin, and pronounces us CLEAN.

Let’s look at another powerful portion of Scripture. Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now nocondemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

According to the original Greek word (kä-tä’-krē-mä), there is NO damnatory sentence to them who are in (a personal relationship) with Christ Jesus. Parenthetical expression my own. It goes on to say “there is NO damnatory sentence” to those “who walk not after the flesh.” This expression in Greek says, “there is no damnatory sentence to those who DO NOT regulate or conduct their lives after the flesh (after the animal nature with cravings which incite to us to sin). Walking after the flesh can therefore be defined as a “lifestyle shaped and influenced by the animal nature with cravings that incite one to sin.”

If you’re truly filled with the Holy Ghost, it is very unlikely that your lifestyle will be one to follow hard after the carnal nature of sinful man. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to change our nature into that of Jesus Christ . . . old things passing away, all things becoming new in the process of following on to know Christ. 2 Peter 1:4 says, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

When we confess our sin, God will not point the finger and condemn us, but rather He forgives us. Why, do you suppose? You see, He is familiar with sin. On the cross he became sin for us. Every sin known to man from the beginning of time until the end of time was placed upon Him when He hung on the cross, He is familiar with all the condemnation, shame and guilt that we feel when we sin, because He has the experience of it already. He understands; He is familiar with our feelings.

A perfect example: John 8:3-11

“And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”

What word can we use to describe such identity? Is it not LOVE?“ . . . for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:16-17

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

Surprisingly, a word that expresses perfectly the power of forgiveness of any sin between you and God is a four-letter one! Say WHAT? Aren’t four-letter words bad?

Nils Olson is a missionary pastor who works at Munakata Bethel Christian Center (Japan). Attended Bethel Temple Bible School in Seattle WA. Has resided in Munakata City, JAPAN for almost 40 years. Nils has authored the book, "My Chapter of the Story," a lifetime collection of stories and anecdotes.

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Man's First Coverup ―
"Then the eyes of both of them (Adam & Eve) were opened, and they knew they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings." Genesis 3:7 ― And man has been covering up his sin ever since.